This was the first Mrs. Prim had ever heard of “Patty C. Proudfit,” and grandma knew nothing about her either; but Preston said the Proudfit family had just moved into town, “a whole army of ’em, and lived in that black house under the hill.”
Next day, as Mrs. Prim was looking out of the window, she saw Flaxie and Miss Patty playing dolls under the trees. Patty was two years older than Flaxie, but her red hair had not been combed lately, her dress was torn, and her shoes were out at the toes.
“She is not a nice child; I am sorry to see this,” sighed Mrs. Prim, turning away from the window. “But as Mrs. Gray is coming home next week, I shall do nothing about it.”
Flaxie’s mind was “occupied” now, and she gave very little trouble in the house. Patty was “a dear, sweet, good little girl,” she said, “and she loved her next as much as her twin cousin.”
But you can’t be quite happy in this world; and Patty’s baby brother, only nine months old, had cut four whole teeth, and I won’t say this wasn’t a trial to Flaxie.
“Poh, but they’re eeny-teeny things,” said she to grandma. “Phil’s will be lots and lots bigger—when he gets ’em.”
Patty came up to the fence one day, where Flaxie stood smelling a geranium leaf.
“How do you do?” said she.
“I do as I please, ’cause Auntie Prim is gone,” replied little Flaxie, with a saucy smile. She was really very bold and naughty sometimes, as you have already found out, I suppose.
“Gone home?”